{"id":3441,"date":"2018-12-26T09:50:00","date_gmt":"2018-12-26T14:50:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ajcongress.org\/jewishpoliticalguide\/?page_id=3441"},"modified":"2024-03-07T10:13:15","modified_gmt":"2024-03-07T15:13:15","slug":"jewish-insider-in-houston-a-far-left-insurgent-challenges-a-democratic-incumbent-on-israel","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/ajcongress.org\/jewishpoliticalguide\/jewish-insider-in-houston-a-far-left-insurgent-challenges-a-democratic-incumbent-on-israel\/","title":{"rendered":"JEWISH INSIDER: In Houston, a far-left insurgent challenges a Democratic incumbent on Israel"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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By Gabby Deutch<\/a>, Jewish Insider<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Democratic primary in a Houston congressional district is shaping up to be the next battle over Israel in American politics \u2014 or at least, that\u2019s what the far-left insurgent challenging a moderate Democratic incumbent in the state\u2019s 7th Congressional District wants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pervez Agwan, a first-time candidate and progressive climate activist, sees an opportunity to unseat Rep. Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX) following the state\u2019s redistricting process, which changed the 7th District from the suburban battleground Fletcher flipped in 2018 to a heavily Democratic, majority-minority district. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In July, Agwan went on the offensive against pro-Israel activists and politicians, and pledged to end American support for Israel in what has so far been his only interview with a national publication<\/a>. He slammed Fletcher for her connection to the pro-Israel lobby AIPAC, which endorsed her in 2022 and in next year\u2019s primary. (A spokesperson for Agwan declined to comment on the race.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMost people want the United States not to be sending aid to countries that violate human rights,\u201d Agwan told The Intercept <\/em>last month. \u201cIt starts with electing people that aren\u2019t going to be bought off by any lobbying group. So I think Lizzie really needs to start shifting her stance, and she won\u2019t do it, because she\u2019s funded by AIPAC.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Agwan, who recently earned an MBA at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, was not on the radar of many Democratic activists and local political experts before he decided to challenge Fletcher earlier this year. He hasn\u2019t yet earned the endorsement of any elected officials, and Fletcher maintains a strong base of support among both local Democratic leaders and her Washington colleagues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But political insiders in Houston caution that it\u2019s too soon to write off Agwan, who is already mounting a heavy ground game with door-knocking and in-person campaigning seven months before the March primary. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUnder the previous configuration of the district, she had a very solid message to the primary electorate, that, \u2018I\u2019m a Democrat, and I\u2019m your best chance to maintain District 7 in Democratic hands,\u2019\u201d said Mark Jones, a political science professor at Rice University.<\/strong>\u201cNow that\u2019s gone, because whatever Democrat wins is going to win District 7. Republicans don\u2019t stand a chance.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Agwan, who swore off corporate support, has raised $220,000 this year from individual donors. He entered the third quarter with $77,000<\/a> on hand, well below Fletcher\u2019s $1.6 million<\/a> war chest, a signal that the incumbent is taking her primary challenger seriously. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe\u2019s somewhat vulnerable, just because [the district] has changed so drastically,\u201d said Renee Cross, senior executive director of the University of Houston\u2019s Hobby School of Public Affairs, who pointed out that Fletcher could also face criticism for her ties to Houston\u2019s oil and gas industry<\/a>. Agwan has made the Green New Deal, which he has dubbed \u201cGreen New Hou\u201d in his campaign messaging, a focal point of his campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf I were his political consultant, I would say that would be the issue that I would try to tell him to jump on. I think it would probably resonate with more voters,\u201d rather than his recent messaging on Israel, Cross said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The son of Muslim Indian immigrants, Agwan has made his support for Palestinians \u2014 and opposition to Israel \u2014 a priority. In April, he appeared<\/a> at an anti-Israel rally outside the Israeli consulate in Houston. His campaign office has a Palestinian flag<\/a> hanging in it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One political consultant who used to work with the Texas Democratic Party suggested Agwan\u2019s early and vocal opposition to Israel could have some sway with the district\u2019s Muslim population, which is now a larger share of the constituency in the district. But they added that it is more likely intended to reach a national progressive audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think that it\u2019s an easy way to establish his uber-progressive bona fides early on, get some national name ID which is intended for raising real money once he gets out of his personal network, and to try and have that catch fire moment when he can become the next progressive crusader against, you know, the \u2018bought-off corporate elite Democratic establishment member,\u2019\u201d said the consultant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 7th District contains Meyerland, the historic and current heart of Houston\u2019s Jewish community. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Karen Bernstein, an engineer and political activist in Houston\u2019s aerospace industry, only learned of Agwan\u2019s candidacy when her college-age daughter was looking for opportunities for summer internships, and she saw a listing on his campaign. But Bernstein \u2014 a Democrat and supporter of Fletcher\u2019s who is also active in the Houston Jewish community \u2014 has been turned off by Agwan\u2019s aggressive style.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe seems highly, highly partisan and pulling on issues that I don\u2019t think are relevant to this congressional district,\u201d she told JI. Bernstein described herself as a \u201cpretty liberal Dem\u201d who doesn\u2019t align with either AIPAC or the more liberal J Street. \u201cBut I also don\u2019t think that we need to stop any kind of aid [to Israel],\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere aren\u2019t that many progressives in the district who are going to be compelled to vote for someone because they have a starkly anti-Israel message,\u201d said Jones. \u201cBut there are a significant number of voters in District 7 who are going to interpret that message as being antisemitic.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

An AIPAC spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment. Rachel Rosen, the chief communications officer at Democratic Majority for Israel, said the group is \u201cfollowing the race closely\u201d and is \u201cvery concerned about [Fletcher\u2019s] opponent\u2019s views,\u201d but declined to say whether DMFI\u2019s political action committee will get involved in the race.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Gabby Deutch, Jewish Insider A Democratic primary in a Houston congressional district is shaping up to be the next battle over Israel in American politics \u2014 or at least, that\u2019s what the far-left insurgent challenging a moderate Democratic incumbent in the state\u2019s 7th Congressional District wants.  Pervez Agwan, a first-time candidate and progressive climate… more JEWISH INSIDER: In Houston, a far-left insurgent challenges a Democratic incumbent on Israel<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":3442,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"spay_email":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3441","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"yoast_head":"\nJEWISH INSIDER: In Houston, a far-left insurgent challenges a Democratic incumbent on Israel - 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